How to Get Rid of Joint Pain

Joint pain might be at the ankle, back, elbow, foot, hand, hip, jaw, knee, neck, shoulder or wrist. It is where two or more bones join together. When these areas feel pain, discomfort or aching, the joint pain might be the result of arthritis or some other medical condition. Often the pain can be treated at home.

Things You'll Need

• Icepack
• Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory
• Heat pad
• Vitamins

Instructions

1. Place an icepack on the aching joint for about 15 minutes a day, several times a day, and give the joint a rest.

2. Take a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory to reduce swelling and pain. These could include ibuprofen, aspirin or naproxen sodium.

3. Seek a doctor's attention if you are unable to move the joint, you have intense pain, the joint looks deformed or it suddenly becomes swollen. Also see your doctor if the area becomes very tender, warm and red.

4. Have a physical exam to discover the cause of the joint pain to help you better treat the pain. According to the Mayo Clinic, the causes of joint pain can include various forms of arthritis, bone cancer, injuries, bursitis, dislocation, gout, lupus, Lyme disease, osteoarthritis, osteomalacia, osteoporosis, pseudogout, rickets and sarcoidosis.

5. Apply a heat pad or cold packs to a sore joint if the pain is caused by arthritis. Cold packs numb the pain. Heat relaxes the muscles. Do not use either more than 15 minutes at a time. If switching from hot to cold or cold to hot treatment, allow your skin to return to its natural temperature before applying a different treatment.

6. Replace vitamin D and calcium deficiencies if the joint discomfort is caused by rickets. This can also help for those without rickets, as deficiencies in vitamin D and calcium can cause joints to ache.

References

• Mayo Clinic on Joint Pain
• Managing Arthritis Pain